Police officer accused of telling ‘a pack of lies’ over death in custody

A Metropolitan police constable involved in physically restraining a man who died soon after in custody has been accused at an inquest of telling “a pack of lies” after photographic evidence confirmed he held the detainee’s face down for far longer than he claimed.

PC Richard Glasson was one of three officers involved in restraining Sean Rigg, an acutely mentally unwell man, who died in Brixton police station in south London in August 2008.

PC Glasson was accused of using “inappropriate and excessive” physical force on Mr Rigg’s back which could have caused him to asphyxiate.

PC Glasson, giving evidence for a second full-day at the inquest in Southwark Coroner’s Court, denied holding down Mr Rigg using his knee, elbow or knuckles.

He insisted that he had only used the palm of his hand, despite being shown a photo of a large, fresh bruise to Rigg’s back, taken after his death.